Trace-carrier.



- S. WOLD.

TRACE CARRIER.

APPLICATION run: we. 4, 190a 91 3,601 Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

witnemo UNITE STARS ATENT @FTCE.

SAMUEL WOLD, OF ESTEVAN, SASKAlGlllHVAN, CANADA.

TRACE-CARRIER.

Application filed August 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL WoLn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Estevan, in the Province of Saskatchewan and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trace-Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a trace carrier adapted to be secured to the breeching of a harness for receiving the cockeyes of the traces when the horse is unhitched so as to prevent the traces from dragging.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a device of this character which is of comparatively simple, inexpensive and substantial construction, readily applied to a harness, and which effectively holds the traces in position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a trace carrier having oppositelydisposed hooks with a keeper common to both, that is formed of a single piece of metal bent into U form to provide members that serve to retain the cockeyes of the traces on the hooks.

v fith these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illus trates one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the trace carrier. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a base plate which is adapted to be secured to the breeching of a harness at the points of connection between the back strap, trace supporting straps, and crupper, the base plate being secured by rivets or other suitable devices inserted in the openings 2 at two opposite corners. Rising from the base plate at the other corners are posts 3 that are formed into hooks 4 at their upper ends, the bills 5 of the hooks being oppositely disposed and spaced from each other. Cooperating with the hooks is the keeper designated generally by A, the same consisting of a strip of spring metal of U-shaped construction, the base portion 6 being riveted or otherwise Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 447,004.

[suitably secured to the center of the base plate and the upwardly-extending members 7 being disposed in engagement with the bills 5 of the hooks. The members 7 are resilient j and are adapted to spring inwardly toward each other and, if desired,-the extremities S of the said members may be bent inwardly and downwardly so as to engage each other and serve to yieldingly hold the members in engagement with the bills of the hooks.

The members 7 project above the hooks a slight distance to cooperate with the latter to form mouths at 9 in which the eockeyes of the traces are inserted and then pressed downwardly in contact with the keeper member 7 and hooks, the keeper members yielding inwardly to permit the cockeyes to pass under the hooks. l'i'hen the cockeyes are in such position, they are eil'ectively retained in place by the keepers and cannot be jolted loose by the trotting of the horse. It will be noted that the bills 5 are bent away from the keepers so that months are formed at 10 for receiving the cockeyes when the traces are to be disengaged.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A trace carrier comprising a base-plate, a pair of spring keepers spaced apart on and rising parallel from the plate, means for rigidly securing the lower ends of the keepers to the plate, and hooks secured to and rising from the plates at opposite sides of the keepers, each hook having its bill curved inwardly and outwardly with its tip spaced from the adjacent keeper, the keepers ex tending vertically in tangential relation to the bills and projecting above the latter.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base plate, hooks rising therefrom and having bills extending toward each other and spaced apart, a U-shaped keeper composed of spring metal rigidly secured to the base plate between the hooks and formed into yielding members extending upwardly above the hooks and in contact with the bills of the latter, the extremities of the members being bent inwardly and downwardly in contact With each other and exertmg a tension to hold the members in engagement With their respective hooks. 10 In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence oftwo Witnesses.

SAMUEL WVOLD.

Witnesses CHARLES A. EGLEY,

PETER G. JOHNSON. 

